Susan Brownlee
Susan Brownlee spent her childhood in Northern Illinois and Eastern Kansas. She received her BFA from Pittsburg State University in 1986. After which, she built a 35 year career in graphic design, working solely on a computer. That virtual creative field did not satisfy her need to work with her hands and drove her to several art mediums that require physical craftsmanship such as jewelry/silver smithing, painting, and ceramics.
The variety of techniques and opportunities for experimentation that can be incorporated into ceramics has driven Susan’s creative expression for the past several years. She is drawn to the process of forming the clay with her hands. She can then use the surface of that form as a canvas for drawing and painting with underglazes. She utilizes her painting and design experience to achieve a variety of gestural marks and lines with thoughtful consideration given to color, giveing personality to her subject matter. The glazing and firing process adds an element of experimentation and unpredictability to her work that brings excitement to see the finished results of her labor. An important quality of ceramics is the utility of the object. It brings her great joy to know that what she is making will live in someone’s home and be used to enrich their domestic experience.
